Sugar Plums at Christa Cameron

Dance Classes for 3 to 6 year olds

or click here to view classes for other age groups

Sugar Plums
at Christa Cameron

Dance Classes for 3 to 6 year olds

Our Sugar Plums program offers quality dance training for girls and boys aged 3 – 6 in a fun and nurturing environment for children who love to dance as an enjoyable and healthy extra curricular activity.

The classes are fast-moving, with a lot packed in. These classes incorporate mime, dance, music and play. The emphasis is on having fun whilst introducing the basics of ballet technique and developing musicality. Theme and props are used to add enjoyment whilst growing the imagination and expression in our young dancers. Specially devised exercises are practiced to improve coordination, encourage sensitivity to music and develop rhythm. Dancing with partners and being a member of a class helps children learn about cooperation and working in a group.

Once Sugar Plums move in to Grade One at school, they progress into the main ballet school and begin the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus, starting with the Pre-Primary ballet level. More specialised training is offered for talented and dedicated dancers who wish to pursue a career in dance as they continue.

 

Christa Cameron School of Ballet

0411 143 946
office@christacameronballet.com.au
PO Box 286 Canterbury VIC 3126

Principal: Christa Cameron

Sugar Plum 3 – 4s

This class is generally for children who are in three year old kindergarten, or who are turning three or four during the year.

Sugar Plum 4 – 5s

This class is generally for children who are in four year old kindergarten or pre-prep.

Sugar Plum Preps

This class is generally for 5 – 6 year old children who are in their first year at school.

Jazz and Tap

This class is for for our age 4 – 6 year old Sugar Plums where they can enjoy trying additional dancing styles to compliment their Sugar Plum ballet classes.

Sugar Plums Fees

Starting at $229 for a 45 minute dance class (10 week quarter).  

We encourage new dancers to book a 2 week trial, please contact the office to arrange: office@christacameronballet.com.au or phone 0411 143 946. 

Discounted rates apply for the same child attending additional classes or for families with more than one child dancing. 

 

Sugar Plums Uniform

For their first lesson, dress your little dancer in anything they are comfortable and happy in. Many little ones like come in their favourite dress-up for their first lesson. Shorts or leggings or a dress with bare feet are also fine. Once they have joined in happily they are required to wear our uniform.

Girls: We have our own beautiful ‘Sugar Plums at Christa Cameron’ uniform which is a requirement for all of our Sugar Plum ballerinas. The whole uniform including shoes and tights are available through our ballet school.

Girls Jazz/Tap: The same leotard and tights are worn for Jazz as for ballet, but the girls take off the petal ballet skirt and put on ‘Hot Shorts’. They also need a pair of tan jazz shoes and/or tan tap shoes. We suggest you don’t buy shoes until children have attended a few classes and settled happily in. While trying out Jazz runners can be worn in the interim.

Boys Ballet and Jazz: Our boys’ ballet uniform is white socks and ballet shoes, navy leggings or navy shorts, and a close fitting white t-shirt, singlet or boys leotard. Boys wear the same uniform for Jazz, but change their shoes. The boys uniform items are available from all ballet shops.

Frequently asked questions

Can we try out ballet before enrolling?

Please contact the office to book a 2 week trial for a new dance by email info@christacameronballet.com.au, or phone 0411 143 946.

If your dancer settles in well, we will then let you know the balance remaining and the early payment discount will still apply.

Extended Trial Period: If your little dancer has not settled in after the 2 week trial, or you are still unsure, you may make an arrangement (email or call office) for an extension of trial period at a pro – rata rate.

What do Sugar Plums classes involve?
Sugar Plums is a 30 – 45 minute class. It is a fast moving class with a lot packed in. The classes incorporate mime, dance, music and play. The emphasis is on having fun whilst introducing the basics of ballet technique and developing musicality. Theme and props are used to enhance enjoyment whilst growing the imagination and expression in our young dancers. Specially devised exercises and are practiced to improve coordination, encourage sensitivity to music and develop rhythm. Dancing with partners and being a member of a class helps children learn about cooperation and working in a group.
Do Sugar Plums perform in a concert?

Yes, all Sugar Plums dancers are invited to perform in the Christa Cameron School of Ballet end of year concert, held annually in December. The dancers learn their performance dances during their classes in Term Four, there are also a couple of additional rehearsals for the concert. If you prefer your dancer not to take part in the performance there is the option of attending for a half term in term 4.

Dancers at Christa Cameron School of Ballet are not required to wear any makeup if they prefer not to. All costumes are provided, with no sewing required from parents. In addition to the fees, a production levy fee is payable for dancers participating in the concert. This fee covers the cost of the additional studio rehearsal, the stage rehearsal, costume hire, and a copy of the DVD of the performance.

What is Jazz?
The Jazz dance style is fun, and further encourages the development of rhythm, coordination, spatial awareness and expression in our young dancers. In a Jazz class, the basics of Jazz technique are taught while the dancers bop along to popular music.
Who can enrol in Jazz?
Dancers who are 4 – 6 years old. We prefer our Sugar Plum dancers to attend Ballet as well as Jazz as the skills practiced in a ballet class are most valuable at this age. However, a dancer may enrol in Jazz only if they prefer.
Do Parents Watch Classes?
Parents do not watch class on a regular basis but we do have an Open Day each term. Our first Open Day for the year in on week 4 of term one. We prefer to hold our classes free from the distraction of toddlers running around, parents walking in and out to answer a phone or take a sibling out, “Mummy is talking to the lady next to her and not watching me” etc. Having parents and friends watching regularly would make it more difficult for the teacher to have a focused class and hold the attention of the dancers.

Watching the first class: if you are trying out or starting during the year, in an established class (i.e. not the beginning of the year), we invite you to come and watch the first class that your child attends. Some little dancers join in happily with a parent or carer sitting in the room, others may prefer to sit with their parent and watch and may be more confident to join in on their 2nd visit. This is a little different at the start of the year. As the whole class may be new in February, we aim to bring all of the dancers into the ballet room with their teacher and for their parent to wait outside the room although we leave the door open for the first lesson so that parents can look in. If all of the parents come in for a first lesson when the whole class is new, some may be too shy to join in with all of the other adults sitting watching or they may all want to sit with mum and watch and no one participate. We find that by our first Open Day (usually week 4), the dancers have settled in beautifully and are very excited to have their family and friends as an audience to their class.

Any more questions?

If you have any questions that have not been answered here, send an email to info@christacameronballet.com.au (please include your name and phone number, as well as, your child’s name, date of birth and year level at school) or call Christa on 0411 143 946.

Location – Highfield Rd, Canterbury

Uniting Church Hall, corner of Highfield Rd & Prospect Hill Rd (Main Studio) 

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